# Law No. 4137 of September 10, 1962 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648384](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648384) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4137-of-september-10-1962 ## Summary **Law No. 4137 of September 10, 1962** (Lei nº 4137, de 10 de setembro de 1962) is a Brazilian federal statute that regulates the repression of abuse of economic power. Promulgated by President João Goulart through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, it was published in Brasília on September 10, 1962, and applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil. ## Key Facts - **Full Title:** Lei nº 4137, de 10 de setembro de 1962 - **Alternative Name:** Lei nº 4137/1962 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4137/1962 - **Instance Of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law) - **Purpose (Law Digest):** Regulates the repression of abuse of economic power ("REGULA A REPRESSÃO AO ABUSO AO PODER ECONOMICO") - **Approval Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil - **Promulgated By:** João Goulart - **Determination Method:** Promulgation - **Publication Date:** September 10, 1962 - **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil - **Country:** Brazil - **Applies to Jurisdiction:** Brazil - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Lexml Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-10;4137 - **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4137.htm - **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law - **WikiProject Affiliation:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws ## FAQs **What is the purpose of Law No. 4137?** Law No. 4137 regulates the repression of abuse of economic power in Brazil. Its official law digest states: "REGULA A REPRESSÃO AO ABUSO AO PODER ECONOMICO." **Who approved and promulgated this law?** The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President João Goulart on September 10, 1962. **Where can the full text of Law No. 4137 be accessed?** The full text is available online at the official Brazilian government portal: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4137.htm. **What jurisdiction does Law No. 4137 apply to?** The law applies to the entire Federative Republic of Brazil, as it is a federal statute enacted at the national level. **What topics and subjects does Law No. 4137 address?** According to structured metadata, the law addresses the following subjects: battle (Combate), creation (Criação), the Presidency of the Republic (Presidencia Da Republica), operation/operation procedures (Funcionamento), supervision/inspection (Fiscalização), and competency (Competencia). ## Why It Matters Law No. 4137 of September 10, 1962, represents an important component of Brazil's legal framework for economic regulation. By establishing mechanisms to regulate the repression of abuse of economic power, the statute addresses concerns about market concentration, monopolistic practices, and the potential for economic actors to wield disproportionate influence over markets and society. The law emerged during the presidency of João Goulart, a period of significant political and economic transformation in Brazil. As a federal statute, it carries the full weight of Brazilian statutory law and operates within the broader context of the country's legal system. The law's focus on economic power abuse places it within the domain of antitrust and competition law, areas critical to maintaining fair market conditions and protecting consumers and smaller businesses from predatory practices. The statute's continued availability through official government channels—including the Planalto Palace website and the LexML Brazil system—demonstrates its ongoing relevance as part of Brazil's codified legal heritage. Its inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws further indicates scholarly and institutional recognition of its significance within Brazilian jurisprudence. ## Notable For - **Economic Regulation:** Specifically targets the repression of abuse of economic power, a foundational concern in antitrust and competition law - **Historical Period:** Promulgated during the João Goulart presidency (1961–1964), a pivotal era in Brazilian political history preceding the 1964 military coup - **Federal Statute Classification:** Classified as a formal statute (instance of "statute"), distinguishing it from other legal instruments such as executive orders, decrees, or resolutions - **Capital Publication:** Published in Brasília, which had only become the federal capital in 1960, making this one of the earlier major laws promulgated from the new capital - **Official Digital Availability:** Accessible through both the LexML Brazil system (a semantic web initiative for legal documents) and the Planalto government portal - **Semantic Web Integration:** Assigned a Lexml Brazil URN identifier, enabling machine-readable access and structured data linking ## Body ### Classification and Legal Definition Law No. 4137 of September 10, 1962, is classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law. Within legal taxonomy, a statute is a subclass of written work, document, and rule, and serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law. As a statute, Law No. 4137 is composed of legal norms and represents the official record of a legal rule enacted by the Brazilian federal government. The law's legal citation is **Lei nº 4137/1962**, and its full Portuguese title is **Lei nº 4137, de 10 de setembro de 1962**. It is recognized in knowledge systems as an instance of a statute, equivalent to the Schema.org class for Legislation. ### Purpose and Subject Matter The law's stated purpose, as recorded in its law digest, is to **regulate the repression of abuse of economic power** ("REGULA A REPRESSÃO AO ABUSO AO PODER ECONOMICO"). Structured metadata identifies the following subject areas addressed by the law: - **Battle (Combate):** Referenced as a main subject, suggesting provisions related to combating economic power abuses - **Creation (Criação):** Indicating the law may establish new mechanisms, bodies, or procedures - **Presidency of the Republic (Presidencia Da Republica):** Reflecting the executive branch's role in the law's implementation or oversight - **Operation (Funcionamento):** Addressing how regulatory mechanisms or bodies function - **Supervision (Fiscalização):** Concerned with oversight, inspection, or enforcement activities - **Competency (Competencia):** Defining the authority and jurisdiction of relevant actors or institutions These subjects collectively suggest a comprehensive legal framework for identifying, investigating, and penalizing abuses of economic power. ### Historical and Political Context Law No. 4137 was promulgated on **September 10, 1962**, during the presidency of **João Goulart**. Goulart served as President of Brazil from 1961 until the military coup of 1964. His presidency was marked by efforts to implement social and economic reforms, including concerns about foreign capital influence, land reform, and workers' rights. The law was approved through the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with the determination method recorded as **promulgation**. It was published in **Brasília**, which had been inaugurated as Brazil's new federal capital on April 22, 1960—just two years prior to this law's publication. The early 1960s in Brazil were characterized by significant political polarization, economic challenges including high inflation, and debates over development policy. Legislation addressing economic power concentration fit within broader national discussions about economic sovereignty and equitable development. ### Jurisdiction and Application Law No. 4137 applies to the entire **jurisdiction of Brazil**. As a federal statute enacted by the national government, it has force throughout all Brazilian states and territories. The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil. The law's country of origin and application is Brazil, a federal republic in South America. Brazil's legal system is based on civil law traditions, with statutes representing a primary source of law alongside the constitution, codes, and other normative instruments. ### Official Identification and Access The law is assigned multiple official identifiers and access points: - **Lexml Brazil URN:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-10;4137` - This identifier follows the LexML standard, a semantic web initiative for legal documents in Brazil - **Official Web Access:** The full text is available at the Planalto government portal: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4137.htm` - **Presidential Legislation Portal:** Also referenced at `https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4137&ano=1962&data=10/09/1962&ato=42bo3a61kMVRVTc13` The availability through these official channels ensures public access to the law's full provisions, consistent with principles of legal transparency and the public domain status of statutes. ### Related Legal Concepts As a **statute**, Law No. 4137 belongs to a broader category of formal legal documents. Statutes are characterized as: - Formal written documents that create law - Subclasses of written work, document, and rule - Manifestations of statutory law - Composed of legal norms - Created through legislation - In the public domain in many jurisdictions, ensuring public accessibility The statute is distinguished from related concepts such as executive orders, by-laws, and judicial opinions, though it shares with them the characteristic of being a formal legal instrument. ### Documentation and Metadata Law No. 4137 is documented in multiple reference systems: - **Wikidata Description:** "Brazilian law" - **WikiProject Affiliation:** Listed on the WikiProject Brazilian Laws focus list, indicating its relevance to collaborative efforts to document Brazilian legislation - **References Cited:** - Lexml.gov.br (accessed 2021-01-28) - Legislacao.presidencia.gov.br (accessed 2021-02-17, 2021-04-06, 2021-04-10) These references provide authoritative sources for verifying the law's content, publication details, and classification. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-10;4137) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4137&ano=1962&data=10/09/1962&ato=42bo3a61kMVRVTc13) 3. LexML Brasil